England
accuse
Jadeja, formally

OUR BUREAU

Calcutta: The International Cricket Council (ICC) Wednesday confirmed that England team manager Phil Neale has charged India’s Ravindra Jadeja under Level 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel for an alleged incident that took place on the second day of the first Test, at Trent Bridge.

According to an ICC statement: “The alleged offence has been reported under Article 2.2.11 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which states: ‘Where the facts of the alleged incident are not adequately or clearly covered by any of the above offences, conduct that either: (a) is contrary to the spirit of the game; or (b) brings the game into disrepute’.”

“Jadeja has been charged for his alleged altercation with England’s James Anderson after they left the field for lunch on Thursday. It is alleged that after the players left the public area and entered the pavilion, Jadeja turned suddenly and took steps towards Anderson in an aggressive and threatening manner,” the ICC statement added.

All Level 2 breaches carry a fine of between 50-100 per cent of applicable match fee and/or up to two suspension points. Two suspension points equates to a ban of one Test, or two ODIs, depending on which type of match is scheduled next for the suspended player.

On Tuesday, Anderson was charged under Level 3 of ICC Code of Conduct by India team manager Sunil Dev following the alleged incident.

Anderson faces the prospect of a ban of two to four Tests for the offence. The ECB, however, has denied the accusation made on Anderson and said it fully supports the pacer.

An ECB media release on Tuesday said: “The ECB has reacted with surprise that the India team has made allegations against James Anderson under Level 3 of the ICC Code of Conduct for a minor incident.”

According to a source, the adjudicator who will investigate the allegations will probably be named Thursday by the ICC. According to ICC regulations, one among the existing Code of Conduct panel members will be the adjudicator .

However, the chairman of the ICC Code of Conduct committee Michael Beloff, along with Sir Oliver Popplewell and Justice Goolam Vahanvati can’t be appointed as they are from England and India.